The present invention relates generally to the lighting field, and, more particularly, to radial luminaires.
One object of the present invention is to create evenly distributed illumination from a luminaire that is mounted on and close to the surface that is to be illuminated.
Another object of the present invention is to create illumination over a 360xc2x0 area surrounding the luminaire.
A further object of the present invention is to efficiently project 180xc2x0 of radial illumination (or any other segment of 360xc2x0).
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a method for directing segments of 360xc2x0 distribution by manually rotating a portion, of the luminaire.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide decorative light patterning through the adoption of xe2x80x9csatellitexe2x80x9d reflective or refractive elements that intercept and redirect the radial light distribution.
These objects and others are accomplished according to the present invention by providing a luminaire for creating a uniform light pattern on an architectural surface, in the form of uniformly diminishing light with the distance from the light source. The luminaire includes a quasi point light source arranged vertically in the vicinity of an architectural surface, and a multi-zone refractor assembly radially surounding the light source and bending the light from the source toward the architectural surface. There is a reflector above the light source for reflecting light from the source toward the architectural surface. The refractor assembly may include a Fresnel lens, a lower refracting condenser ring, a toroidal reflector, or a conical reflecting surface. The uppermost zone of the refractor assembly can include a reflector structure which collects and projects 180 degrees of the light from the light source in the same radial zone as the reflector structure toward and onto an upper conical reflector, and the reflector structure can include a parabolic reflector and a conical reflector. The lowermost zone of the refractor assembly may include a reflector structure which collects and projects 180 degrees of the light from the light source toward and onto a lower conical reflector. This zone may include a reflector structure which collects and projects 180 degrees of the light from the light source toward and onto a lower conical reflector. The refractor assembly can include a reflector structure which collects and projects 180 degrees of the light from the light source in the same radial zone as the reflector structure toward the upper reflector. There is a lower reflector which collects 180 degrees of the light from the light source and projects it toward and onto the architectural surface. The light source is selectively movable vertically to change the angular relationships of the refractor assembly and the light source. There is a collimating ring surrounding the portion of the light source which is on the opposite side thereof from the reflector structure. The reflector structure can include an ellipsoidal reflector and a conical reflector. There is a ring condenser surrounding the portion of the light source which is on the opposite side thereof from the reflector structure. The refractor assembly may include a wedge prism ring structure. There are a plurality of such luminaires spaced from each other and which provide overlapping light patterns on the architectural surface. The luminaire system can also include a plurality of remote refractors at least partially surrounding the refractor assembly for further modifying and distributing light being received from the refractor assembly. There can be a plurality of remote refractors radially surrounding the light source and which includes a lens prism or a ring lens segment or a prismatic surface. The luminaire can include at least one remote reflector at least partially surrounding the refractor assembly for further distributing light being received from the refractor assembly. The light source may be attached to a post intended to be set into the ground, and said refractor assembly including a radial lens and the radial lens can include a collimating ring section and a flange disk section.